Category: NATIONAL NEWS

Pushed to the margins of West Bengal politics, the CPI(M)-led Left Front is pinning hopes on its young brigade of ‘Red Volunteers’ to recover lost ground among the urban electorate in the upcoming Kolkata civic polls. The Left Front, which had ruled the state uninterrupted for three decades, has for the first time failed to open its account in the 294-member House during the assembly polls held earlier in the year. It had last won civic polls in the metropolis in 2005. Faced with an existential crisis, the CPI(M), this…

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Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat were cremated with full military honours at the Brar Square crematorium here on Friday. Gen Rawat, his wife, and 11 other defence personnel were killed when a Mi17V5 helicopter carrying them crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. The mortal remains of General Bipin Rawat and his wife were cremated at Brar Square cremation ground. Their two daughters performed the last rites. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union minister Kiren Rijiju, Ambassador of…

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Yesterday sources said the centre had indicated it is willing to offer a written assurance on a number of the farmers’ demands, including a committee on MSP. Farmers who have spent the last 15 months protesting the farm laws and pushing for a legal guarantee for MSP, are on the brink of scaling down their agitation after accepting a second draft proposal from the government, which includes assurances on MSP and withdrawal of police cases. “We have accepted the revised draft given by the centre over our demands in regard to farmers…

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Gen Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel died on Wednesday after the military helicopter they were travelling in crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, the Indian Air Force said. The lone survivor, Group Captain Varun Singh, is currently under treatment at a military hospital in Wellington, it said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply anguished” by the sudden demise of Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others in an “extremely unfortunate helicopter” accident. “Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief…

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Opposition parties continued their protest over the suspension of 12 MPs on Tuesday with a ‘dharna’ in Parliament premises that saw several leaders holding up placards demanding revocation of the action taken. Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha resumed its proceeding at 11 am. Soon after, it was adjourned for almost three hours till 2 pm. Thereafter, some opposition members gathered at the place where the suspended MPs along with other colleagues were sitting on ‘dharna’ holding up placards with slogans such as ‘Save Democracy’, ‘Save India’ and ‘Revoke Rajya…

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India is faced with challenges arising out of “extraordinary militarisation” in its neighbourhood and “completely unprovoked aggression” on the northern border, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at the inaugural Indo-Russia ‘2+2’ dialogue even as the two nations inked a pact for joint production of over six lakh AK-203 rifles and extended military cooperation till 2031. Besides Singh, the ‘2+2’ foreign and defence talks were attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Russian Defence Minister Gen Sergey Shoigu. The ministers held comprehensive discussion on strategically…

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Cyclonic storm Jawad’ is likely to weaken into a deep depression before it reaches the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast by Saturday noon, officials said. The development comes as a relief for the eastern state already battered by two cyclones in the last one year – Gulab’ and Yaas’. It is likely to weaken gradually and move northwards during the next 12 hours and then north-northwards along the Odisha coast, reaching close to Puri as a deep depression, the India Meteorological Department said. Subsequently, it is expected to weaken further and continue…

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Amid growing concerns over the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, a parliamentary committee has recommended that the efficacy of Covid vaccines must be evaluated and the government conduct more research to examine the need for booster doses to contain the new strain The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health, which presented its report on Friday, also said that concerns with regard to the new strain developing immunoescape mechanism should be critically addressed In view of loss of life during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee noted that the measures…

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The “ultra-risk” nations are South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lasotho, Zimbabwe and Eswatini. Passengers from three “ultra-risk” nations will undergo mandatory institutional quarantine under the revised airport rules in Maharashtra in view of Covid’s Omicron variant. Passengers from “at risk” nations have to follow central rules. Here are the Top 10 points in this big story: The “ultra-risk” nations are South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Passengers from these nations “shall be deboarded on priority…. (and) sent to mandatory 7 days’ institutional quarantine,” the new rules say.. The rule will also apply…

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The patients have been isolated and their samples have been sent for genome testing, Karnataka said amid concern over the highly infectious Omicron strain that has set off global alarm. Five contacts of an Omicron patient – a doctor from Bengaluru — have turned out to be Covid positive, Karnataka announced today, shortly after the Union health ministry said the first patients of the new Covid variant have been found in the state. The patients have been isolated and their samples have been sent for genome testing, Karnataka said amid…

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